


What exactly does Gotham Harvest?

by Arctic_Cyclist



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics)
Genre: A good time had by all, Almost Bechdel pass, Art, Day Off, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Gotham's annual Harvest Festival, Photography, Tim sees conspiracy everywhere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 21:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6825487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arctic_Cyclist/pseuds/Arctic_Cyclist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce's children attend the annual Gotham Harvest Festival. Pre-52 characterization.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What exactly does Gotham Harvest?

**Author's Note:**

> No Jason. I'm sorry. Just assume he's out of the country with Scarlet. Stephanie claimed she was busy and couldn't make it. 
> 
> Damian is a perfectionist even when the work is temporary. He's just as fast, efficient, and skilled with the paintbrush as he is the blade.

The first one to catch Tim's eye is one of Steph. Specifically, her Robin swinging bright and beautiful across a Gotham night scape on a little girl's cheek. Her brother sports Nightwing crouched and ready with his escrima sticks at guard and a flickering smile. Their mother has a painted crown on her brow and father has a dragon wrapped around his jaw in battle with a minute knight. People keep stopping the smiling family for photos and questions and they gesture to a battered tent with a long line winding from it.

Cass jabs him with her sharp elbow. Hard.

"Ow." He grumbles and rubs at the forming bruise.

"Let's get our faces painted. I want Barbara's Batgirl. Like his." She points at a teenager with a scarlet haired Batgirl in bright gold boots on his cheek. She is standing on a pile of beaten goons with a terrified Joker cowering before her. As the boy talks and laughs with his friends the Joker cringes away from the triumphant woman. 

Tim snaps several photos of the boy and texts them to Oracle. Just in case. This is Gotham and art that detailed has to be part of a plot.

A giant with orange hair that looks like Hush on Venom wearing a hat and coat that could be cast offs from Detective Bullock is managing the line. He seems to be polite but firm as he turns away festival goers. A herd of orphans appear to be his back up by gazing pitifully at parents and other adults who attempt to protest the booth's early closure.

He's too big and intimidating not to be a henchman so Tim takes several shots of him for the files. 

The arm dropped around his shoulders does not make him jump. It's just a little hop, not a jump. Dick is grinning at him. Late but no demon brat in tow. An unexpected victory in Tim's book.

He follows Tim's eye line and frowns at the bruiser employed by the orphanage. "Abuse? Give me a few minutes, guys. I need to find out what he's doing."

The big guy stiffens before greeting the disapproving older man. Dick's arms are crossed and his scowl is worthy of gracing his Robin's face but the red head doesn't back down. The two talk fast in low even tones as the pack of orphans surround them and stare the Batman with expressions ranging from pleading and wistful to angry and full of resentment. 

Under the pressure of the children and arrival of a nun Dick caves and lets his normal charming grin return. She guides him past the sweating people remaining in the line to the tent and a few minutes later the man returns with a genuine smile splitting his face.

Drugs or mind control. Tim is sure of it and starts formulating a plan to take down the evil nun and her miniature minions. Cassandra can take the Bane knockoff. 

Another group leaves the tent as Dick pauses to talk to the man and lay a friendly hand on his shoulder before they clasp hands. The festival goers' faces are decorated with scenes from Hindu religion: Sita on the fire, Krishna dancing with milk maids, and Kali cradling an infant Shiva on the battlefield. One of the group sports Ophelia drowning amongst her flowers. Even if it wasn't an evil plot of some sort Tim would have dreamt of taking pictures. The light is a perfect afternoon gold and the colors almost too vivid to be real. It's a reminder that he should try going out in the day while well rested more often.

Cass is smiling and relaxed as she watches her returning oldest brother and the crowd. 

"You didn't get your face painted."

Dick shrugs. "It wouldn't have been fair to the people in line," he tells her, "Besides, the artist is grounded and will be back tomorrow. Or else."

"He's grounded?"

"Yep." Dick drapes his arms over the middle children's shoulders. "Skipping family bonding time to raise money for orphans without asking permission or even telling anyone is a sure fire way to get grounded. He'll stay tomorrow until we're all done. I'm hungry. Let's get elephant ears."

Tim is processing the realizations that a. Damian ditched them, b. he has friends and is hanging out with them instead and c. there is no evil plot just an evil demon child. Cass is on the phone and calling Babs to ensure that she'll be there tomorrow and then they are conference calling Stephanie for a girls day out.

"So it's a fundraising booth? Damian's doing fundraising?" Dick is dragging them off to food and ignoring in his special Dick Grayson way the fact that Tim is attempting to resist.

"Yes, Tim. Our littlest brother has offered to raise money so that the kids can have pocket cash to waste on games, rides, and food. Doing it this way helps avoid the orphanage sponsors from asking why it was spent on frivolous things. His idea, but Colin helped organize it with the nuns."

"Colin?"

"Colin Wilkes. The bouncer. He's actually a ten year old about Damian's size, but uses Venom to bulk up to Abuse. He and Damian fought Zsasz together. There's a large file on him in the system."

"Oh." Tim replies before saying, "Strawberries and whipped cream on mine please."

Hours later, stuffed and sunburned, they catch the first glimpse of their errant child. He is standing next to a toddler who has her heart set on the giant stuffed snake that's the top prize at a ring toss game. The carny is eyeing the pre-teen and his entourage of toy bearing children warily but still smiles at them as Damian crushes the rigged game. It's good for business as other carnival goers start believing that the games are fair. If a pair of orphan ten year olds can win, why can't adults? 

Tim catches the perfect shot of Damian returning the girl's smile as he crouches to wrap her in twelve feet of hot pink and white plush boa constrictor. He's framing it. It will be a perfect gift for Alfred.

**Author's Note:**

> Over the two days almost $6,000 was raised. Many people refused to wash their faces until the paint had faded and peeled off. 
> 
> Bruce got in trouble for making Damian paint for fifteen hours straight the next day and dutifully passed it on to Dick. Dick was not pleased by that. 
> 
> Alfred keeps Tim's photo next to his bed. Babs keeps the picture of the teenager with her Batgirl in the Tower next to the group shot of the Batgirls and Birds of Prey all painted with different scenes of each other.
> 
> Tim's sunburn required aloe vera. For a young man renowned for his planning, it was awfully embarrassing that he forgot sunscreen both days. Much time was spent ranting about how the sun is not his friend. But most of his photos won prizes in the contests he submitted them to. 
> 
> All in all, everyone, especially Damian, had an excellent weekend.


End file.
